# Genuine Block Meerschaum?



## steinr1 (Oct 22, 2010)

How can you tell if your meerschaum pipe is in fact "Genuine Block Meerschaum"?

I've seen a number of pipes in the flesh and posted on this forum that make me take pause. Nice looking pipes all and probably fine smokers, but are they "real"? (And does that matter, beyond what you are asked to pay for them?)

Meerschaum is a natural material and getting rarer by the day. There are many examples of the genuine article that are made to this day from superb (near) flawless raw material. But there are an equal, if not greater, number that are made using a composite material of crushed meerschaum (at best) bound with resin. These are, in effect, "plastic" pipes using meerschaum as the bulking filler.

How do we tell the difference - particularly when many purchases are made on the web? Relatively easy to tell, in my opinion, when they are smoked. If it don't colour properly, it ain't a meer. But by that time it's too late.


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## Kevin Keith (Jan 24, 2010)

I don't know how you would be able to tell just by photos...not possible really...you have to rely on the seller. When you have the pipe in hand there are a few ways to tell. You've mentioned the improper or uneven coloring. Two other ways to tell: wet a finger and rub it inside the bowl...block will quickly absorb the moisture or you can lightly mark the bottom of the bowl with a piece of clean silver. Silver will leave mark on composite or crush meer bit not on block. Of course, the crushed meer will have a tiny mark on it but you'll know!


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## El wedo del milagro (Jul 3, 2012)

The term "block" makes me nervous.

I used to silversmith and do lapidary work. "Block turquoise" was manufactured from leftovers from the jewlery trade. Chips and any turquoise that broke/shattered would get powdered and made into "block" with heat and resin. Lazy jewlers loved block because of how easy it was to work.

I only used "raw nuggets", and still do.


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## JohnnyFlake (May 31, 2006)

Unless the pipe is marked "Genuine Block Meerschaum" it surely is not. Also, for the most part, if the pipe sells new for less than a $100, it is not. Even pipes marked "Block Meerschaum" it may not be truly solid block meerschaum do to various interpretations of using the word "block", without the word "Genuine". Not all, but probably 90% of all Genuine Block Meerschaum comes from Turkey. IMHO, the only way to be sure that your getting a high quality genuine block meerschaum pipe is to buy from a highly reputable vendor.

Altinok Meerschaum Pipes is a highly reputable vendor of 100% genuine block meerschaum pipes. Also many custom pipe makers such as "Bakie". Do some searching and find them as they are out there.


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